Posted on 07/12/2007 4:29:51 AM PDT by A.A. Cunningham
The Americans Are Coming! MV-22 Osprey Makes First Landing On British Carrier
Wed, 11 Jul '07
Marines, UK Forces Prepare For Joint Exercise Off Eastern US
Ahead of a US-led Joint Task Force Exercise (JTFX) on the Eastern seaboard of the United States, the HMS Illustrious welcomed the very first embarkation of a US Marine Corps Bell/Boeing MV-22 Osprey onto the Royal Navy aircraft carrier Wednesday. It is the first time an Osprey has landed on a non-US vessel.
Representatives with the UK's Ministry of Defense tell ANN the Osprey, with its vertical takeoff and landing capability, is ideally suited to working from the deck of HMS Illustrious -- which is currently the UK's high-readiness strike carrier.
With US Marine Corps Major Frank Conway piloting the aircraft, the visit gave the Osprey’s crew a unique opportunity to demonstrate the aircraft’s flexibility as well as the versatility of the UK’s primary Maritime Strike capability.
While there are no current plans to operate the MV-22 from UK ships, close co-operation of this kind is vital should the need arise for Illustrious to conduct operations in a coalition environment.
"The Osprey visit gave the ship a unique opportunity to work with this impressive aircraft," said Commander Henry Mitchell, the Commander (Air) onboard the Illustrious. "We have been planning this for some time and although it is a departure from normal operations, the landing demonstrates the truly flexible nature of the UK Strike Carrier and the Osprey. It is hugely important to recognize the opportunities this type of event brings with it and how it reinforces our ability and willingness to operate with the widest possible range of aircraft anywhere in the world."
The embarkation of the MV-22 Osprey is a precursor to a major US led military exercise-JTFX 2007 in which Commodore Alan Richards, Commander of the UK Carrier Strike Group, based on Illustrious will lead one of three carrier strike groups and will also embark up to 16 US Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier jets, as well as operate her own Sea King airborne surveillance and rescue helicopters.
The exercise will test her across the broad spectrum of conflict, ranging from embargo operations involving UK and US boarding teams to air strike missions dropping precision ordnance against simulated targets.
"[T]his is a really exciting opportunity for Illustrious," said Captain Tim Fraser, Illustrious commander. "The exercise will allow us to train and test many aspects of our capability in a demanding scenario alongside the US Navy, while integrating USMC Harriers and 200 US personnel on board Illustrious."
Welcome aboard!
Saw one fly past Fort Walton Beach, Fla. last week while on vacation...way cool!
Cool. Now the brits should get in line to buy some V-22s of their own.
TC
Looks like they will need bigger ships! LOL!
Post or FReepmail me if you wish to be enlisted in or discharged from the Navair Pinglist.
This is a medium volume pinglist.
...yes or one very similiar. Were you there last week?
No! I wish. I just know where to find the pictures, that is by the way, Ft. Walton Beach. You might even be in that picture looking up.
...excellent area to live! I reside in N.E. Ohio. Very good friends of ours live in Destin, Fla. We are currently looking for some property down there to build a winter home.
Man, some awsome looking women down there!!!!!
...did I say that out loud? Opps!
Only if he was there back in March when that picture was taken.
While the Osprey is a neat machine, what roll does it play that isn’t filled by more specialized machines.
Stay clear of that thing! Its going to break and kill people.
Errr how about the get the flock out of Dodge role, A role sadly Today's CH-46s and CH-53s are woefully inadequate for.
Judging from the size of the flight deck - they could do nicely with three if they packed them in real tight.
The Osprey is twice as fast, can carry twice as much, and fly more than twice as far as the 53’s and 46’s.
This thing is changing the Marine’s war fighting doctrine.
Isn’t this a rather unusual exercise? I could see an aircraft or 2 for familiarization, but embarking an entire Marine Air detachment?
The Marines are replacing aging Phrogs on a one-for-one basis with MV-22s. The Osprey carries 24 Marines at 250 knots and almost any altitude you want to fly at, for 500 miles. It can aerial refuel, so you can fly as far as your bladder allows.
VMM-263, the first operational MV-22 squadron, deploys soon from New River for Iraq.
TC
The US Navy is seeking to gain support for a demonstration of the Thales Cerberus maritime surveillance radar for the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey, potentially expanding the role of the US Marine Corps and US Air Force tiltrotor programme beyond the transport mission.
The so-called totally organic sensor system (TOSS) would demonstrate that the Westland Sea King 7’s Cerberus airborne surveillance and control sensor could be modularised and installed on a wide range of navy and USMC aircraft, starting with the V-22.
The UK Royal Navy would be a joint participant in the TOSS joint concept technology demonstration, if the project is approved.
The US Navy’s Naval Sea Systems Command is still searching for a second service to sponsor the project to make the project eligible for a “joint” funding programme, says Ken Moritz, a business development director for Bell Boeing.
Moving forward with the programme would mark a re-awakening of the USN’s active interest in the V-22 programme. A few years ago, the navy officially dropped a long-term strategy to replace its Grumman C-2 carrier on-board delivery fleet with a version of the tiltrotor called the HV-22.
With the USMC reluctant to divert any aircraft in its fleet for maritime surveillance, the project is a potential opportunity to drive additional sales of the V-22 for the maritime surveillance role, Moritz says. The USN is interested in using Cerberus-equipped V-22s for the expeditionary strike group mission.
The TOSS project also seeks to develop a modular kit for several additional types of US military aircraft.
So far, the Cerberus radar is not a part of the upgrade roadmap for the V-22. The Block B model, which adds a ramp gun, hoist, refuelling probe and reliability improvements, has been finalised.
The Block C configuration remains in the definition stage, with proposals to add an internal gun embedded in the fuselage, a new radar and an improved environmental control system.
The navy also has identified a requirement for a Block D upgrade programme, focusing initially on integrating the assault directed infrared countermeasures suite.
Is that the FRepublic official flat-top....?
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